What stands out worked out from the figures below

Wareham has the oldest population (median age 52.1).

Pelham has the most people working from home (22.8%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Wareham	Pelham
People
Population	23,302Highest	14,449Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+6.8%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+10.3%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	52.1±3.1Highest 34% above U.S.	41.5±2.7Lowest 7% above U.S.
Kids under 18	13.1%±2.4Lowest U.S.: 22%	22%±2.7Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	26.2%±3.9Highest U.S.: 17.2%	16.5%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	27.1%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	40%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	5.6%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	5.9%±1.3Highest U.S.: 6.4%
	Pelham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$90,383±$11kLowest 12% above U.S.	$135,956±$19kHighest 68% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$424,500±$21kLowest 28% above U.S.	$552,600±$27kHighest 66% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,504±$180Highest 6% above U.S.	$1,425±$88Lowest about the U.S. average
	Wareham and Pelham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$4,341Lowest 39% above U.S.	$8,634Highest 177% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	51.4%±23.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	67.3%±12.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Pelham and Wareham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.7%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	3.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.5%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	86.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1958Lowest 22 yrs older than U.S.	1987Highest 7 yrs newer than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	28 minLowest 4% above U.S.	30 minHighest 12% above U.S.
Work from home	12.4%±3.6Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	22.8%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#272 of 282 in MA	#48 of 120 in NH
School district	Wareham	Pelham School District
High school in town	Wareham Senior High	Pelham High School
Students per teacherat that high school	8.6Lowest	10.4Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.